Get Started

Get started with PowerShell Universal

Install PowerShell Universal

You'll need to install the PowerShell Universal server. There are a lot of ways to do so but you can use the command line below to get started quickly.

Windows

You can install PowerShell Universal as a service. Ensure that PowerShell is running as administrator or the service won't install correctly.

Install-Module Universal
Install-PSUServer

Windows Desktop

You can learn more about desktop mode here.

Linux

You can install PowerShell Universal using the following shell script.

Install-Module Universal
Install-PSUServer

Mac OS X

You can install PowerShell Universal using the Universal PowerShell module.

Install-Module Universal
Install-PSUServer -AddToPath
Start-PSUServer -Port 5000

Raspberry PI OS

wget https://imsreleases.blob.core.windows.net/universal/production/2.4.0/Universal.linux-arm.2.4.0.zip
unzip Universal.linux-arm.2.3.2.zip -d ./PSU
chmod +x ./PSU/Universal.Server
./PSU/Universal.Server

Open PowerShell Universal

By default, PowerShell Universal is running on port 5000 of localhost. You can access the admin console with the username admin and admin.

Create an API

APIs allow you to call PowerShell scripts over HTTP. To create an API, click API \ Endpoints and click Create New Endpoint. Specify a URL.

Next, click details on the API that was created an enter the following command into the editor.

Get-ComputerInfo

Save the script and then click the Execute button to test it out.

You can also execute the API via Invoke-RestMethod.

PS C:\Users\adamr> Invoke-RestMethod http://localhost:5000/hello-world

WindowsBuildLabEx                                       : 22000.1.amd64fre.co_release.210604-1628
WindowsCurrentVersion                                   : 6.3
WindowsEditionId                                        : Professional
WindowsInstallationType                                 : Client
WindowsInstallDateFromRegistry                          : 8/6/2021 4:05:12 PM
WindowsProductId                                        : 00330-52452-93139-AAOEM
WindowsProductName                                      : Windows 10 Pro
WindowsRegisteredOrganization                           :

Create a Script

To create a script, click Automation \ Scripts and then click Create New Script.

Enter the following script into the editor and save.

Read-Host "What should I say?"

1..100 | ForEach-Object {
    Write-Progress -PercentComplete $_ -Activity "Processing..."
}

Get-Service

Once the script is saved, click Run.

Create a Dashboard

To create a new PowerShell-based user interface (dashboard), you can click User Interfaces \ Dashboard and then Create New Dashboard.

After clicking Ok, click the Details button to edit the PowerShell script. Add the following script to the editor.

New-UDDashboard -Title "Hello, World!" -Content {
    New-UDButton -Text "Click Me" -OnClick {
        Show-UDToast -Message 'Success!!'
    }
}

Save the dashboard, click the Restart button and then click the View button. Click the Click Me button.

Learn more about the various features of PowerShell Universal

• APIs
• Automation
• Dashboards